Andy Shull H.B. Rhame Elementary School students, Andy Shull, and other school employees are stars in the new music video "Richland One Rocks!"

The video is posted on the district's home page at www.richlandone.org and on Richland One TV.

Shull, music teacher at H.B. Rhame Elementary School, wrote the song, "Richland One Rocks!" for the district's arts festival last school year; however, the arts festival was not held. Shull's students had been singing it in music class, so when principal, Mike Owens, asked Shull to provide a student song for the first school board meeting at Rhame this school year, they performed "Richland One Rocks!"

It was well received. Karen York, the district public relations person, worked it out to produce a video. Richland One's television station, ROTV, filmed the video in two sessions. Marv Ward (district classified employee of the year) and Chrystal Burgess, of Richland One TV, did the filming and editing for the video.

As a former middle school and high school band director, Shull plays many instruments, and loves song writing. He started with sound on sound recording in the early 1970s and later worked with four, then eight track cassettes. He began working in DAW (digital audio workstation) computer- based recording about five years ago. He has since produced several CDs of original songs.

This school year is his second year teaching music at H.B. Rhame Elementary, and he has been using the skills he has learned in music production with the kids. This creative technology has become affordable in recent years and aligns well with the national music standards of singing, performing on instruments, composing music, and especially listening to and evaluating music.

Shull says he has seen his own musicianship improve through the rigors of recording and believes kids can also benefit. CPU recording is very user friendly with children, as things can be cleaned up the same way the pros do it, by cutting and pasting and adding effects. The child is not put on the spot to redo over and over for perfection. Shull says the best singers in the world cut and paste for the best phrases.

According to Shull, the intimate goal of creating a product is most satisfying and it builds self- esteem. The child creates something of value to be proud of and a performance that is lasting.

With pending budget cuts in school systems, Shull says he feels we should not lose sight of what is important in education, and, in his opinion, some of the most important are the arts. They are not simply a frill, he says, but give true meaning to life. Students in Shull's music classes are beginning to compose lyrics and songs. In Shull's classes they are "creating music, not just singing songs."

Shull has also produced a song with his students about the importance of voting, which has received radio airtime.

Andy Shull's goal is to record an entire CD of school songs. He says he is "taking what I can do and bringing it to the elementary classroom."